The Day 5 of the third Test between India and England at Lord's promises to be an action-packed affair where both the sides are gunning for a coveted win, which will eventually give them a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
With the third Test poised for a thrilling finish, England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick has made a tall claim ahead of drama-filled Day 5. After being set a challenging target of 193 runs by England, India's chase faltered, leaving them at a precarious 58/4 by the close of play on Day 4. Shubman Gill & Co. now face the daunting task of scoring the remaining 135 runs with only six wickets left in hand on Day 5.
Marcus Trescothick's bold verdict on Lord's Test
India's top order crumbled under pressure from the English bowling attack. The early loss of Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck was followed by the dismissals of Karun Nair for 14 and captain Shubman Gill for just 6. The strategic move to send in nightwatchman Akash Deep also backfired as he was removed for 1 shortly before stumps. Brydon Carse was the most successful of the English bowlers with two wickets, while Jofra Archer and captain Ben Stokes each claimed one. Amidst the collapse, KL Rahul, who scored a century in the first innings, remains India's primary hope, standing unbeaten on 33.
As anticipation builds for the final day's showdown, England's camp has exuded confidence. Meanwhile, Marcus Trescothick issued a stern warning to India, stating that their bowlers are determined to finish the job quickly. He expressed their aim to wrap up the Indian innings within the first hour of play on Day 5. With KL Rahul awaiting a new partner and Ben Stokes ready to complete his over, the stage is set for a dramatic resolution to the Test match.
"That last hour made it amazing. Everyone was invested, the crowd was behind the team. The buzz around the ground gave the boys a lift. It will revolve around the first hour tomorrow. How positive India are, how dominant India will be. Hopefully we will get six wickets in the first hour tomorrow,” Trescothick said at the post day press conference.
India rode on Washington Sundar's bowling wizardry to wrap up England's second innings for 192. This was largely due to an exceptional spell of spin bowling from Sundar, who managed to claim four crucial wickets while conceding just 22 runs. The pace attack also played a key role, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj each taking two wickets, and Akash Deep chipping in with one.
However, India's chase for victory got off to a shaky start. The second over saw Archer dismiss Jaiswal for a duck, putting early pressure on the Indian batting lineup. Nair and Rahul then attempted to stabilise the innings, forming a partnership of 36 runs. Unfortunately for India, Carse struck twice in quick succession, dismissing both Nair and captain Gill leg before wicket.